Mom Remembers

1. He enjoys fantasy literature.  He and I have been reading lots of great chapter books recently; we are currently halfway through The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for the second time.  Reading together is something we both enjoy a lot. 2. He is verbally affectionate. 3. The verbal affection is related to his eagerness to please adults.  I can usually trust him to follow rules and interact pleasantly with authority figures. 4. He is excited about Soren's schoolwork and copies a lot of it.  He wants me to know that he is always  doing his "best work". 5. He "reads" to Sven, reciting Sven's favorite books from memory. 6. He has lots of energy! 7. But he can also sit still and play with legos for hours. 8. He does not nap but will look at books quietly in his bed for an hour every afternoon.  I was worried what would happen if he stopped napping before he learned to read but it has turned out ok.  I still get my quiet time. 9. He is a grea...

It's back to school and this year, unlike last year, none  of the young children in our neighborhood are going to public school.  They are all homeschooling!  (This is not as weird as it sounds, the truth of the matter is that there are only two other families with young children.  But of the two families that moved out, even one of them  is homeschooling!)  I realize that we are living in a dream world, where homeschool is the norm; we will just enjoy it while it lasts. This is my first year doing two different grades and I am also juggling a very busy toddler so laying down a workable schedule has been my number one priority this month.  This is how it has been working: 7:30 am - The kids get up, begin their housework, have breakfast, finish their housework, and then have as much free time as is left before school starts (which they spend playing with legos). 9:00 am - Sven goes to play in his room and the older boys clean up their toys. ...

More than in years past, I have been feeling very keenly the need to gird up my loins and take courage this Michaelmas.  Starting with the official onset of homeschool, I have been feeling intimidated by my own life choices and uncertain about my abilities.  Or, perhaps more accurately, I have been feeling weary of the work and wary of the knowledge that there is only more to come. It's not just the 18+ years of homeschooling ahead that I need to face with courage.  It is also the impending winter and cabin fever, the rest of this pregnancy, the addition of child #4, and the necessary but uncertain relocation of our family.  And so this season, I have been personally edified more than usual by the stories of courage, endurance, and divine assistance that I tell my children.  They have led me to acknowledge my weariness without abandoning my cause.  They have inspired me to lengthen my stride in preparation for the future.  And they have given me hope...

My first week of homeschooling has been surprisingly draining. Before the big first day, I felt mostly excitement.  My research was done and my choices were made.  My plans were in place and I was confident in them.  My son was eager and ready to learn. I thought that homeschooling would be either a) a blast or b) not that different from normal life. It was both of those things.  But it was neither. That makes no sense and yet it is true.  My first week homeschooling was both fun and terrifying.  And while it was not that different from normal parenting, I felt  different and not in entirely positive ways.  All of a sudden, I felt afraid.  Afraid of falling short, of messing up, of unforeseeable complications and very real impending complications, of missing things, of going too fast or too slow, of getting bored, of being isolated, of everything . And while I have plenty of good coping mechanisms for dealing with these issues, they...

I am pregnant with another boy !  I was surprised by how much this surprised me.  My mom only had three boys so, although I always wanted lots of boys, I really expected this one to be a girl. He's not! So, without further ado, here is my list of four reasons why four boys are better than three. 1. There's a sense of balance about four.  Everyone has a buddy!  Plus, the four of them can be a kick-butt team.  Think of all the awesome foursomes: the four Ninja Turtles, the four gospels, the four hobbits, the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the four skillful brothers , the four Hogwarts houses, the three Musketeers (who are actually four), the four Ghostbusters, and the four archangels.  In a great foursome, each person has unique and necessary skills that aid in the accomplishment of the groups goals.  I hope that my four boys can be that kind of team. 2. The symbolic aspect of four suggests completion as it is a representation of all earthly th...

I think that this has been the most anticipated birthday in the history of the Duede family.  Carl has been dreaming and talking and planning for his 5th birthday all summer long.  He was relatively gracious about my many amendments to his grandiose schemes and I think that he had a pretty good day in the end.  I take it as a good sign that he prays almost daily: "Thank you that I am five." This is what we did to celebrate: 1. First thing in the morning, he opened a couple of presents.  There was new chalk from his dad and a new bike from Grandma Berg.  (I was very grateful to finally  get that bike out of my storage unit where it has been hiding for the past two months.)  Carl got up on the bike and whizzed along the driveway.  He told me, "I could ride this bike all day!"  Then I taught him how to use his new bike lock, which has a word combination.  He promptly taught Soren to do it for him and I'm not sure he has unlatched it him...

SOREN:  I have finally figured out what parents are. SCOTT:  Is this the kind of thing that is going to get you sent to your room? SOREN:  No.  They are what I don't like.  So when I grow up I'm going to have no wife and no kids ... and I will end this madness!